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Winnipeg's mayor says the city needs strong federal and provincial partners when it comes to infrastructure.

The City of Winnipeg has released its 2018 State of the Infrastructure Report today, which categorizes infrastructure assets and provides details on the condition they're in, what they're worth, and their remaining service life.

The report states the city's current infrastructure asset inventory has a replacement value of approximately $35 billion. We also have a $6.9-billion infrastructure deficit, which the city says is a $3-billion improvement from 2009 levels when converted into 2018 dollars.

"It's essential to maximize value from existing city assets, and help us invest smarter and more strategically for the future."

Mayor Brian Bowman says roads remain a top priority, though he says community services infrastructure -- things like arenas, pools, and the like -- are trending towards poor and very poor condition. He also notes bridges now represent 16 per cent of the city's infrastructure deficit, "a measurable increase from 2009."

"Bridge projects by their nature are large and expensive. While we continue to invest in bridge maintenance, bridge replacements are inevitable. When it comes to replacement, if funded entirely by the city, without federal or provincial partners, it would quite simply cripple the city's finances," says Bowman.

Bowman says Winnipeg is growing and it has growing infrastructure needs. He says, moving forward, to address the infrastructure deficit the city needs to maximize its access to federal infrastructure dollars.

Verse of the Day

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven”